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From hospital gown to prom gown: Chambersburg Hospital nurses bring prom to local teen
Home » News » From hospital gown to prom gown: Chambersburg...
Lacey Bennett (first picture) is pictured with nurse Joelene Kline during a visit back to the critical care unit at Chambersburg Hospital where Lacey thanked the staff for their help during her stay in May. Kline had the idea to throw Lacey a prom at the hospital because Lacey was going to miss hers. With the help of the other critical care nurses on the unit that day, and some of the nursing staff's family members, Lacey was able to have her senior prom.
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – On Friday, May 16, 2014, Lacey Bennett, a senior at Waynesboro Area Senior High School (WASHS) was walking with her friends at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Greencastle, Pa. Everything was going as usual. She and her friends were talking about the WASHS prom that would take place the following day.
Lacey had her dress ready. She knew how she would wear her hair, and her date had plans to meet her at her house for photos. Saturday was going to be memorable – Lacey just didn't know exactly how memorable it was going to be.
"I had done relay for life since middle school," Lacey said. "I've known a lot of family members and close friends who have lost their battles with cancer or who are survivors. A group of friends and I go every year. We were there early to set up, and everything was going normal."
After she and a friend completed the "Remembrance Lap", they went to the food line to get a snack.
"I was in the line, and out of nowhere, I had a sharp pain in my stomach. I was nauseous, dizzy, and I had to sit down. I told my friend 'something's up.'"
Lacey thought rest would help, so her friend helped her to their tent.
"I remember lying down in the tent, and then I remember walking to the ambulance. I had passed out."
Lacey had some tests done at Waynesboro Hospital, and then was transferred to Chambersburg Hospital for more tests early on Saturday morning.
Lacey was unable to see clearly, and couldn't walk or talk well when she first arrived at the hospital, but the symptoms slowly began to go away.
What about the prom?
"I wasn't really focused on prom," she said. "If I could just talk and walk and get out of bed, I'd be happy."
As Lacey's symptoms improved, and the nurses in the critical care unit at Chambersburg Hospital learned that Lacey was going to miss her senior prom, without hesitation, the nurses went into action.
Lacey's mother, Nancy, received a call Saturday afternoon from Lacey's nurse.
"The nurse called me and asked if they could throw Lacey a prom," Nancy said. "They asked me to bring all of the things she would need – her dress, shoes, and accessories. I gathered it all and went to the hospital."
Lacey didn't know about this surprise.
"I was just starting to get back on my feet," Lacey said. " I'm so glad they did this for me. I'll never forget this."
According to Lacey and Nancy, the nurses decorated a conference area at the end of a hallway on Lacey's unit.
The nurses had some extra help.
"One nurse called and asked her mom to go to the Dollar store and get paper lanterns, flowers and confetti," Lacey said with a smile. "It was really well decorated – you wouldn't have known you were in a hospital."
"It was so pretty," Nancy said. "When I think about doctors and nurses, I think they have to always be so serious and focused on medicine to take care of patients, but I realized, that things like this, like throwing my daughter a prom because she was missing hers, is just another way they take care of their patients. It was very nice. They went above and beyond to care for my daughter physically and emotionally. We are both so grateful. "
Lacey's date was told of the situation, and was redirected to meet Lacey at the hospital. The two were able to have pictures taken in their formal attire and then danced the night away.
Although Lacey's senior prom didn't go as planned, "it turned out to be very memorable anyway, thanks to the people at Chambersburg Hospital," Lacey said.
Update – Lacey is out of the hospital. She graduated with her class on Friday, June 6.
Summit Health is a non-profit network of hospitals and physician practices dedicated to building a healthier community. As Franklin County's leading healthcare provider, Summit Health offers family care, specialists, lab and imaging services, a fitness center, two walk-in care centers, and two award-winning hospitals.
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